Protector
by jayelo
Summary: Jasper thought he was going to die in that alley, but there's always a bigger fish. Human!Jasper/Vamp!Bella AU.
1. Prologue - Country roads, take me home

**AN: I do not own Twilight.**

* * *

**Prologue - _Country roads, take me home..._**

**September 17, 2019**  
**Aurora,** **Colorado**

She carefully rolled open the map of the United States and taped it to the wall of the dingy apartment.

It was time. She had enough of the area and was feeling the itch the move on. Find a new place to live. Finding game in this area was getting harder. She had lasted longer than she had thought she would - a whole two years - and she had grown fond of this place. Maybe one day she would come back and stay a little longer. Years from now.  
But it was time to go.

Her eyes flicked over the apartment with a fondness. It was empty, just as it had been when she got it. The only things she really owned in the world was her backpack filled with clothes and her laptop charging in the corner. She hadn't bothered to furnish it considering she never entertained guests and it was easier to pick up and leave at a moment's notice if there was barely anything to pick up. Her...lifestyle...needed her to not have connections - to any person, place, or thing. A free spirit, she chuckled wryly. She had always wanted to be a little more connected to her mom, apparently she had adopted her mom's flightiness.

So this is what she did when she felt that it was time to go. She bought a new map, taped it to the wall and taking the old dart she had snagged from a random dive bar years ago, she closed her eyes and threw it.

Wherever it landed, so would she.

She was kind of proud of her way of choosing a new place. It kept things interesting, moving from place to place could get boring and tedious. At least this added some excitement in her dreary little life. Taking a breath, she opened her eyes and was a little surprised to see where she would land. She had never gone that south before. This would be different.

Running a hair through her wavy brown locks, she thought hard about this. She always gave herself the right to veto the destination, lest she put herself in a dangerous situation. She weighed the pros and cons of this location and found very little arguments against going there.

With resolve, she glanced back at the dart and sat on the floor to open her laptop. It was time to find a place to live. Given that she had to live relatively off the grid, she searched for places through craigslist mostly. Also it didn't really matter if the apartment was considered a shithole by some standards. It was a place and that was that. She smirked a bit and felt a little thrill when in the location box she typed in her new (temporary) home...

Houston, Texas.


	2. Chapter 1 - Be a simple kind of man

**Chapter 1 - _Be a simple kind of man..._**

**October 29, 2019**  
**Houston, Texas**

Jasper walked out of his apartment, shutting and locking the door behind him. He tried to ignore the urge to say fuck it all, walk back in the apartment and climb back into bed. Physical therapy was a pain in the ass and he didn't seem to be making any progress towards walking normal again. Shuffling around like a zombie with this damned limp was annoying as hell.

Dr. Jones assured him that he's only three months out from the surgery and these things take time, but goddamn it he just wanted to be able to run without feeling pain shoot up his leg, to walk down stairs at a normal pace, two not have people look at him with pity when he hobbles by them. It's amazing, the little things you realize that you take for granted when they're gone. Those fucking bullets took _everything_ away from him.

Two years ago everything had been fine. He had a good career, a good woman, a good family, a good life. Things were steady, normal, everything he had ever wanted. He was happy.

Serving in Afghanistan was hard, but it was what he signed up for. He had promised his family, his girlfriend, and even himself that he would serve his year overseas and then he would come home and everything would be okay. Three months in a bullet shattered his kneecap and that was game over. He was hit three times, once in his vest breaking two ribs, once in his right thigh and once in his left kneecap. Then there was pain. And his battle screaming.

_"Whitlock!"_

_"Where's the fucking medic?!"_

_"It's going to be okay, battle, we got you..."_

Shaking his head, he clears those thoughts out before his breathing starts to shorten. No need to have a fucking panic attack before his appointment.

The Army medically discharged him. He received his purple heart, a severance, and a disability check comes in the mail every month. That was his gift for serving his country - a nice little pat on the head. Thank you for becoming crippled fighting our war, we appreciate your service, please go home so we can put someone more useful in your shoes now.

Getting home, he thought that Maria would be waiting with open arms. He tried to focus on the positive. They would be reunited, the wounded warrior and the woman of his dreams. She would open the door to their home and he would sweep in and kiss her and they would live happily ever after. Reality was a fucking bitch. When he got home, she said that she didn't want him anymore. She only wanted him not the broken version of him, that this was too much to deal with. They had been together since high school, he had planned on proposing when he got back, he thought she would be there in sickness and health. Apparently not.

He told her to fuck off and never talk to him again.

So here he was.

One good thing about the day was that he was seeing his Army appointed therapist. Dr. Samuel Wilson was a former Marine specializing in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Jasper found that he was actually progressing in that aspect. He wasn't pushed to tell his sob story, he wasn't told how he should be feeling. Him and Dr. Wilson just talked and each session he left with his chest feeling lighter. His nightmares, while still present, didn't plague him every night. He found he could sleep a full eight hours. He still woke up in a cold sweat every now and again, but it was better. Things were better.

He was thankful for that.

There was no point in delaying any longer, he turned and started walking toward the stairs, wishing that his complex had an elevator. Stairs were a bitch.

Well, he couldn't even call it an apartment complex, in reality it was just four small studio apartments. They weren't bad, not at all. Hell, he had lived in barracks. Though his apartment was small, it was clean and - more importantly - it was cheap. As long as he had a place to crash for the night and a fridge to keep his beer cold, that's all that mattered to him.

Hearing footsteps coming up the stairs, he glanced up and saw the source. Wavy brown hair shielded most her face, the hood of her grey sweatshirt pulled over her head. She didn't even look up as she walked right by him, but when she did he got a glimpse of her profile - _and damn, it was quite a lovely profile._

Sloped nose, full lips, but very pale skin, like girl hadn't seen the sun since she was born. He - with only a tiny bit of shame - took a little peek at her figure on her way up the stairs. She wore a black jacket over the grey hoodie, not giving him a glimpse of her upper body but using "elevator eyes" he definitely appreciated the lower body. Her legs adorned in dark skinny jeans looked long and toned, and he saw that her feet were wearing a pair of scuffed white converse.

_She smells nice_, Jasper thought as he caught a whiff of whatever perfume or lotion the girl was wearing. She smelled like strawberries and cream.

He watched as she unlocked the apartment next to his and walked in, clicking the lock as soon as the door was closed. He was a little surprised, he thought that the apartment next to his was vacant. It had been since he moved in a year ago - many were turned off by the college bar across the street. Another reason the rent was so cheap. The walls and floors were apparently paper thin - his neighbor downstairs was an older man with hearing problems who watched television at a high volume - so it was surprising how he never even heard a peep from her place.

Feeling his phone buzz, he saw the text that his ride was waiting for him out front and his appointment was in ten minutes. He hurried - painfully - the rest of the way down the steps, almost out of breath by the time he walked outside. The sky was overcast, matching his mood.

A burnt orange '68 Camaro pulled up just as he walked out, the window rolling down to reveal the grinning face of Jasper's older brother.

"Hey Peter," Jasper greeted as he got in the car. The smell of cigarette smoke and leather assaults him and oddly brings him back to his childhood for a fleeting moment. It was the same smell of their father, Jackson. A quick memory of ten year old him and thirteen year old Peter in their dad's pickup, all singing along to _Simple Man_ hits him.

His brother pushes the sunglasses back up his nose. "Howdy, Major."

Peter and Jasper were as thick as thieves growing up. Only separated by three years in age, though they were often mistaken for twins - same honey blonde curls, same shit-eating grin, same hazel colored eyes. They did everything together. Including joining the military when they each turned 18. Peter served his contract and got out, wanting to settle down. He now worked for a construction company and made a decent living. Jasper was planning on signing on again, making a career out of the military before that bullet shattered his knee.

Now his brother had to chauffeur him to doctor's appointments and his mother was sending him meals to make sure he was fed. When he was discharged, his mom immediately wanted him to come home and live with her. He put his foot down at that. He had been out of the house since he was 18 and though he loved his mama dearly, there was no way he was going to be living back at home at twenty-two years old.

Thankfully, he knew the right strings to pluck on his mama and with the extra help of his pop, she agreed that he needed his own space to heal. He still came home every Friday night for family dinner, though. No way in hell he would say no to her cooking.

"How ya feelin'?" Peter asked.

"Alright," Jasper shrugged. "How's Char?"

Charlotte was Peter's wife, they were the definition of childhood sweethearts since the Greene farm neighbored the Whitlocks. Peter and Jasper had gone exploring one day as kids and had seen Charlotte playing with her sisters. Peter will tell you that he had fallen in love right then and there, he marched up to ten year old Charlotte and declared his love, asking her to marry him. She had thrown mud at his head.

When he had asked the same question ten years later, using the same words. She had thrown whipped cream at his head. And then said yes.

"Good, she switched shifts at the hospital with someone so she'll be at dinner tomorrow. We're going out tonight to Mulligans for a bit, you wanna come with?"

Jasper nodded, liking the sound of just him, Char, and Peter hanging out. Just like old times. "Yeah, that sounds good."

The rest of the drive was spent in comfortable silence. He was thankful that Peter never forced him to talk about anything. at the doctors office, Peter put the car in park. "Alright, now get on out."

Jasper grinned, "Thanks again, Cap."

"No problem, Major."

...

She walked into the bar, cringing at the top 40s hit that was blaring over the speaker. It was a college bar after all. She gave a nod to her manager as she passed his office on the way to the employee lounge where she deposited her beat-up backpack in her cubby. Taking a quick glance in the mirror on the wall where most of the bartender and hostesses would fix their makeup, she made sure her colored contacts were still intact. There were a couple of spares in her bag, just in case. Pulling off her jacket and hoodie, she was left in the tight black v-neck with the _'LONESTAR BAR' _logo on the right side, she still wore her jeans and white converse she had on earlier.

Running a hand through her hair, a nervous tick she had, she groaned at the jittery feeling she felt pumping through her body. _Dear Lord, get a hold of yourself,_ she chided herself, glaring at her reflection.

He was still affecting her.

She had learned his name when she had heard him on the phone with someone and when she had walked home in the morning after a hunt, she was finally able to put a face to a name.

If her heart was beating, it would have been going a mile a minute.

_Her neighbor._ The one right next to her only separated by inches of drywall. He smelled of leather and was quiet as a mouse during the day but he cried in his sleep, screaming in terror. During the nights, she would sit in her apartment against the wall and listen to him cry and it twisted her heart. Her hand would be pressed against the shared wall, feeling the vibrations of his cries. Whatever terrorized his dream truly frightened him. She almost wished that she could comfort Jasper - phase through the wall and hug him, protecting him from any and all harm.

Jasper Whitlock.

She was vampire, among the most beautiful, seductive, and enchanting creatures in the world, yet this little human outshone most of them. Thanks to her vampire sight, she was able to look at him for a second, before he had even seen her, and memorize every inch of him. She actually felt shy around this man. He was long, he was tall, he had blonde curls, and oh man, _he was handsome_. She wasn't the type to go gaga over anyone, especially over a human. But this was different...this was weird. She had raced into her apartment as fast as she could at human speed and clicked the lock. Somehow that little bolt added safety between her and her feelings. She had stood by the door for a good half hour though, listening to him shuffle down the stairs and finally out the door, hearing a man pick him up outside. He called him Major, a nickname. Cute.

Vampire were self-sustainable, money wasn't exactly needed to survive. Many did not keep a residence as sleep and shelter from weather was unneeded. While the sensation of showering was pleasurable, it was not necessary since sweat glands were frozen by venom. Food didn't need to be bought for obvious reasons and there was no reason to change clothes unless you were a messy eater. However, she liked having a place to go. Where she could charge her laptop, lay down and read a book.

She was set for existence money wise, having made some good friends in high places in her vampire life, and maybe not following a law or two. She didn't really need to work, but hey, it passed the time by.

And it was good hunting grounds.

She walked behind the bar and as soon as she did, every man reacted as they normally do when in the presence of an attractive female. Hands ran through hair to create a messy look, chests were puffed, breath was checked. She scanned the bar and saw a group of college age boys dressed well who looked like good tippers. One of them saw that she was looking and nudged his buddy who followed his line of sight. They all straightened up and their hearts started beating faster in anticipation. This would be an easy night. Putting a saucy smirk on her face - they ate that shit up - she walked over to them and gave them a bit of the smolder.

Their heartbeats sped up in response, thoroughly entranced and ready to empty their wallets.

"Hi, I'm Bella, what can I get you boys?"

...

Five hours later, in another bar just two blocks down the road, two brothers belting an off-key version of Simple Man stumbled out of Mulligan's bar. They were the last to leave like always. A laughing blonde trailed behind them, filming the entire thing on her phone. She was planning to use it as some serious blackmail in the future, god knows she needed it being married to Peter . Peter tried to do some kind of twirl, which wasn't a very smart idea considering he landed on his ass and now looked green as goose shit.

Jasper, still buzzed but with a higher tolerance than Peter, helped pick his idiot brother off the ground. "The Uber is pulling up now," Charlotte told him, gesturing toward the blue Sedan pulling up. The combined efforts of Charlotte and Jasper got a giggling and squirming Peter into the car, Charlotte sliding in after before turning back to Jasper, "Do you need a lift home?"

It was tempting as his knee was howling but Jasper shook his head, "Nah, I'm two blocks away, just get him home," he grimaced when he saw the expression on onhis brother's face, "and don't let him puke in the car."

"Please," the driver pleaded, glancing nervously in his rearview mirror. Jasper and Charlotte just laughed before he closed the door and waved one last goodbye out the open window.

Jasper watched them go and glanced in the direction of his building, a hot shower and his bed calling him. Before he started off in that direction, he felt a prickling down his spine. Like he was being watched. Being in the Army, he was very in tune with his feelings and he learned to trust his gut no matter what. It was right 9/10 times. He was being watched, he could feel the eyes on him and he cursed himself for not taking that ride with Peter and Charlotte. Surreptitiously glancing around, he saw a man watching him across the street, acting like he was just casually outside for a smoke, if not for the fact his eyes would trail back to Jasper every few seconds.

Jasper knew - that man wasn't alone, he was just a scouter. Jasper looked around and saw that the streets were practically empty, only a couple of people walking here and there. Not good. He was two blocks away from his house, he just needed to get home and he would be fine. His gun was on his bed stand, he would be safe at home. Jasper then thought of his neighbor and how he would hate to lead these guys back to his apartment with hers right next to it. He sent a quick prayer that she was home and her door was still locked as it had been earlier.

Straightening to his full height of 6'4, Jasper tried to look as intimidating as possible as he started his walk home. Jasper was almost among the tallest of his classmates and years of working on his pop's farm and working out in the Army, he was lean and solid muscle. He was told he was intimidating, he just hoped he was radiating 'do-not-fuck-with-me' vibes right now.

When he was younger, he had gotten into a lot of fights because of his quick temper. It was like one minute he was fine and the next he was seeing red if someone tried to mess with him or his family. Peter said he reminded him of Taz from Looney Tunes, spinning around and spitting and cursing in a fight. No matter how many he was against, he wouldn't stop until the fight was over. Growing up, he learned how to control his anger so he wasn't that guy anymore, but if the situation called for it...

Jasper turned behind him and saw that the cigarette man was following him, trying to be discreet about it, glancing down at his phone whenever Jasper turned to look at him. Fucking idiot, Jasper thought as he quickened his pace the best he could. The combination of stress from PT this morning and trying to walk faster than normal was kicking his ass. The pain distracted him and he didn't even realize that there was another man stepping out of the shadows until too late.

Seeing the lights for _'LONESTAR BAR'_ relief filled his gut. It was the bar across the street from his apartment, which meant he was almost home. He quickened his pace a bit, before someone stepped in front of him, blocking his path. He was about as tall as him, though skinnier. He had a black widow tattooed on his neck and his dark hair looked like it hadn't been washed in a while. Jasper turned around and ran right into the cigarette man, who took a puff and blew smoke right into his face. This gave them the opportunity as Jasper coughed and tried to clear his eyes from the rank cigarette smoke.

He was shoved into the alley.


	3. Chapter 2 - she's a killer queen

**Chapter 2 - She's a killer queen...**

Four of them, spreading out of around him. He kept turning, trying to find a way to keep his eyes on all of them at the same time. This wasn't good. If there was three, he might be able to injure enough of them to get out and make a run for it but there is four and with his leg, running fast enough to get away is out of the question.

_Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck..._ Jasper cursed in his mind. His eyes flickered back and forth between them, assessing them like he was in a video game, trying to find strengths and weaknesses.

The spider tattoo seemed to be the ringleader - the brains - of this motley crew as he stood right in front of Jasper, grinning smugly at what he saw was their prey. The men on the side of him were a little taller than him and, by the looks of it, a little broader. The brawn of the group, the ones with the muscle but usually not a lot of brains. The one behind him was the shortest of them all, the cigarette man, but Jasper would not count him out considering he was in Jasper's blind spot. The small ones were always desperate, always had something to prove - the wildcards. He was the scouter because he would be underestimated. Jasper knew better though - never underestimate anyone, especially an animal backed into a corner.

The red filled his vision, his hands curled and uncurled at his sides, his chest puffed and he rasped through gritted teeth, "Walk away."

This only caused spider tattoo's grin to wide into a reptilian smile as he held out his hand, "Wallet, keys, phone. Give."

Jasper didn't move, he didn't blink, he just glared defiantly at the man.

"Wallet, ke-"

"Yeah, I heard you, dipshit," Jasper growled, "So now _I'm _going to repeat myself and tell you to _walk. The. Fuck. Away."_

Spider tattoo just smirked wider at this as if this was amusing to him. He flicked his eyes left and then right to each of the henchman and then back to Jasper before making a quick decisive nod. The green light to attack.

Jasper tensed, feeling the henchman coming up on his sides but the one behind him was the fastest, practically jumping on Jasper and grabbing him around his neck. Jasper snapped his head back and skull met nose hard. He felt the satisfying crunch of cartilage breaking.

"Fuck! He broke my nose!" the shorter man wailed, clutching at this now gushing nose. This gave Jasper a distraction that he needed, the henchman to his right was momentarily distracted and allowed him to get a solid right in, sending the man to the ground. The bigger they are, the harder they fall. Two down, two to go. Unfortunately, the henchman on his left was mildly smarter than his counterpart and remembered how Jasper was limping on his left leg. Giving a solid kick to it sent Jasper to the ground.

"Fuck!" Jasper yelled, pain shooting from his knee to his entire leg. Spider tattoo then crouched over Jasper and flicked out a sharp looking blade, Jasper froze, the pain momentarily forgotten.

"Get him up," Spider tattoo commanded, causing the henchman who had kicked him to

"Piece of shit," the henchman he had punched got his revenge with a sharp left to his mouth, splitting his lip open. Wincing at the pain and the copper flavor filling his mouth, his spit some out on the ground. glancing up to see spider tattoo approaching him tauntingly swinging the blade that he was sure was gonna kill him. Well, he wasn't just going to give up and say die.

You know that saying your life flashes before your eyes before you die, it's not your life per se, it's what you will never have because of your death. His family, his mom and dad almost having lost him once in a war now going to lose him again to these pathetic assholes. This would devastate them. Peter and Charlotte, never getting to see them start their own family, playing with his future nieces and nephews. Never recovering. Never finding a career. Never having his own family. Never meeting his wife, never settling down and never having his PTSD get better.

He was going to die, broken and alone in this shit alley.

Ain't life a fucking bitch sometimes.

He raised himself as tall as he could with being restrained and met his maker's eyes and spat a wad of blood at him. If he was gonna die, he was gonna go out fighting. "Fuck you."

The spider tattoo smiled, "Just shut up and accept your fate, bitch-"

"Hey!"

Five heads turned in the direction it came from and saw a figure walking toward them from the entrance to the alley. Jasper had to blink a couple of times to see who it was in the low light, but his eyes widened when he recognized her. _No, please not her._

His neighbor.

She walked toward them, scanning the scene seeing that Jasper was being restrained by this hulking man while two others were bruised and bleeding. He was sure what this might look like to her and he hoped she got the hint and ran away to go get help. Instead, she continued to walk toward them and he was able to get a full view of her as she stepped in the dull light. She was wearing the same outfit from earlier, this time the hood was down giving him full view of her face and her eyes - _her red eyes_. What the hell? Some kind of Halloween costume? It didn't matter at the moment, he was too concerned about her. About what they would do to her...

"No!" he called out, struggling against the men holding him, "Please, run! Go!"

She looked at Jasper for a moment, her face concerned before her attention was pulled away by spider tattoo sauntering over to her.

"_Ooh_, I like the contacts, baby," spider tattoo looked her up and down, eyeing her like she was a piece of meat making Jasper struggle more. "A little early for Halloween though, what are you supposed to be?"

She looked at him for a moment before her lips quirked up in a small smile that held no warmth, "A demon."

The men laughed at this, glancing at each other in amusement. Jasper silently pleaded with her to run away, struggling against the man holding him. He felt a swift kick to his leg which sent him to his knees, followed by a punch to the face that sent him to the ground, "Stay down, hero boy," he taunted him as he raised him back up to his knees arm locked around his neck.

Jasper looked up at the girl and saw that she was already looking at him, a venomous look on her face as she looked at his leg and then his split lip. Her attention was once again pulled from Jasper when spider tattoo began speaking again to her, circling around her to check her out. "How about this? We take care of this poor bastard real quick and then all of us go someplace and have some fun?"

She shook her head, "No, I don't really like that idea."

He stared at her for a couple of seconds before he, quick as a snake, reached out and grabbed her neck. Jasper struggled even more as the man choked her, trying to do something, anything to stop this from happening. "Let her go, you fucker," he spat, struggling against the man holding him. He couldn't even yell out for help, he doubted anyone would hear it over the music coming from the bar across the street. He felt helpless.

"Nah, you misunderstood, baby. That wasn't a question, sweetheart, that's whats going to happen."

Jasper's eyes widened as he watched the girls beautiful face. Her eyes never left his, and even in the low light, he watched as her once red eyes faded to pitch black.

She reached up, quick as a whip, and grabbed the man's wrist, not breaking eye contact with Jasper. Her face changed, it softened, like she was trying to reassure him. Comfort him. She then tightened her hand around the wrist and squeezed.

A scream tore from spider tattoos throat.

A animalistic growl echoed off the walls and everything happened almost too fast for Jasper to process. The man who was holding Jasper tossed him into the brick wall. His head smashed against the hard stone which made his vision turn blurry. Sliding down the ground, he touched his temple and hissed when it stung, he felt the blood run down his face.

Another growl - this time louder. _Angrier_.

When his vision cleared up, he briefly questioned if he was hallucinating or if had passed out and was dreaming.

The henchman that had restrained him was on the ground, his leg was twisted at an odd angle. The shorter man was backed up against the opposite wall, holding his neck as if he was choking, blood dribbled from his nose where Jasper had broken his nose. Turning to his left, he saw the other henchman on the ground, crawling away from the girl who was stalking up to him.

She walked slowly, each step was deliberate, almost mocking the man as he desperately crawled away from her.

It was almost comical, this large man cowering away from this five-foot-four girl. But the way she was walking up to him, a predator cornering its prey, and the growling sound that was rumbling from her chest.

It sent a shiver down his own spine.

"No...no...please, don't...please!"

She backed him up all the way to the wall, and lifted her foot, gently stepping on his leg. A scream tore from his throat as she added more and more pressure to the leg. Then he heard it and Jasper realized she broke his femur. Just by stepping on his leg.

Spider tattoo seemed to finally get his wits about him and tried to run toward the entrance of the alley. Her head snapped up and quicker than Jasper could see, she was in front of the man, blocking his escape. She pushed him and he flew, landing all the way back to where the others were. He howled in pain as his already broken wrist was jolted and from the look of it, his ankle was broken as well.

The man was crying now as she stalked up to him, taking her time. "Please don't-"

She leaned down and grabbed his neck, cutting him off. Leaning close she inhaled deep and growled, "Shut up and accept your fate, bitch."

Jasper watched, in a equal mix of horror and fascination as she bit into the man's neck, blood spurting out. It bubbled out of his mouth as he gurgled, possibly calling out for help. It was no use. In twelve seconds, his body had dropped to the ground, dead, completely pale, his neck gaping open from the bite wound. She just killed him, she bit into his neck and...drank his blood?

"What the fuck?" Jasper whispered, though he instantly regretted it because it brought her attention to him.

Her ruby eyes locked onto him, paralyzing him. He couldn't move. He couldn't breathe. Suddenly, her lovely blood covered face inches away from his and she inhaled deeply through her nose. Her chest rumbled and she sighed in what sounded like pleasure. He couldn't look away from her, this savage beauty, both frightening and enchanting at the same time.

A gentle cold hand reached up and touched his face, rubbing the stubble on his cheek before trailing up to his temple, brushing away a stray blonde curl. She looked entranced, tender, soft. Like she was seeing the sun for the first time.

His heart stuttered at that look on her face. He didn't know why, he should be terrified of her. She had just murdered a man in front of him and drank his blood, she moved faster than he had ever seen anyone move and was impossibly strong. But he wasn't scared. Not even a little bit.

Then it was like a switch was clicked off and she blinked. She did it a couple of more times as if she didn't believe that she was seeing him. As if she hadn't been in control of her body and was just now given back the keys. Her face then looked scared and she spoke, "Oh, no."

Jasper opened his mouth to say something but before he could, she reached up and flicked his forehead, knocking him out.


	4. Chapter 3 - And I'm head over heels

**Chapter 3 - Something happens and I'm head over heels...**

They were running in the forest. Miles and miles of trees in front of them, they needed to get out. Something was coming for them, something dangerous and deadly. He glanced around and saw that he was with his old battalion, all of them had fear on their faces as they ran, screams of pain in their wake. Jasper felt his heart beating out of his chest.

He didn't know what they were running from, but he just knew that he needed to get away and fast. He winced as he heard someone scream from behind him, the screams were getting closer. _It_ was getting closer to them.

_"Oh god, no!"_

Faster, run faster. Must run faster.

A roar sounded, followed by more screams, right on his tail.

Someone grabbed at his leg an he fell to the hard ground, glancing down to see his battle clutching at his neck, bleeding from his mouth, "Jasper, help me, please!"

A angry snarl filled the air and he got up and lifted his battle off the ground, hefting him on his shoulder in a fireman's carry. His kneee wasn't bothering him, but he felt like he couldn't run fast, he stumbled along trying to get away from the monster chasing them.

"No!" his battle screamed as he was suddenly pulled from Jasper. He didn't even look back, knowing that the monster had gotten him and instead ran as far as he could away. He came across a field and stopped. Bodies littered the field, torn apart, heads, arms, legs thrown all over the place.

He felt like he was going to be sick when there was sudden shift in the air. He turned around and saw her. The girl. His neighbor. She stood there in her black v neck, jeans, and white converse. Her face was covered in blood, her eyes pitch black with hunger.

He raised his AR and shot at her, aiming for her torso. She laughed a tinkling bell like laugh at him as she sauntered up to him. The bullets were bouncing off of her, as if he was shooting a nerf gun at her. Her clothes were riddled with holes but there was not even a mark on her skin.

She was suddenly in front of him and took the gun, snapping it in half with her bare hands, smile still on her face. She then grabbed him around his neck and brought him close to her, inhaling deep just as she had with those men. "Shut up and accept you fate, bitch."

Jasper shot up as she lunged for his throat, a cold sweat drenching his body. Taking a couple seconds to gather his surroundings, he felt the relief wash over him when he saw that he was back in his apartment.

_Nightmare. Just a nightmare._

Squinting his eyes in the dark bedroom, he turned to grab his cellphone off the end table to check the time before he stopped. His knee felt cold. _What the fuck, _he lifted the blanket to see that his knee was wrapped in ice.

The memories of the night hit him like a truck. The alley, spider tattoo, fight, his neighbor, growling, and then her face covered in blood. He felt his own blood run cold at it. It was real. He had almost died last night, but he was saved. By his neighbor.

Movement caught his eye and he turned to see red eyes watching him from the corner of his apartment. He didn't blink as she stepped into the low light, giving him full view of her. She had cleaned up her face and had pulled her hair back into a ponytail. She had changed as well, now wearing a burgundy colored tank top, dark skinny jeans, and the same white converse on her feet. Her face read uncertainty and a little fear, something that was quite amusing to him considering she took on four guys last night and came out unscathed.

_"Shut up and accept you fate, bitch,"_ she had said to him, mirroring the words he had said to Jasper. She had heard the hissed words from the entrance of the alley, so not only was she apparently super fast and super strong - he winced remembering the sound of the cracked femur when she stepped on it - she also had super hearing?

The girl seemed to be having an internal debate before she cursed and in a flash she was at his front door, backpack in her hand.

"Don't go!" he shouted, sitting up and wincing at the nausea and head rush he got when he did. He had taken a couple of hits to his face and then smashed his head against the wall last night, he reckoned he probably had at the very least a minor concussion. Trying to take a couple of breaths to sate his nausea and pounding head, he saw a glass of water appear in front of him. He accepted it with a grateful nod, taking a few slow sips.

There were so many questions running through his head, he didn't know if she would even answer them, he didn't know why she had even stayed. Maybe that was a good one to start with. He looked up to see her still standing there, awkwardly shuffling from foot to foot.

It was a little funny to him, she was usually so withdrawn when he saw her around here, then last night in the alley she was confident and strong taking on those assholes. Then when it was just them, she was so soft and tender, he shivered a bit when he remembered the feeling of her hand touching his cheeks. Now, she seemed so awkward. This girl was all over the place.

To save her, he gestured to the end of the bed for her to sit down. Once she did, he set the glass on his end table and took a deep breath. "Why did you stay?"

"You hit your head, and then I...kind of...knocked you out. Figured you might have a concussion so...I needed make sure you're okay."

"The ice?"

She nodded with a little shrug, "I...was that the right thing to do?"

"It was," he nodded, "My knee would be howling right now if you didn't. Thank you."

She nodded. "Your, uh...your head was bleeding too, so I put some ointment on it and bandaid. Doesn't look like it needs stitches, just a bleeder."

Jasper reached up to his temple, wincing a bit at the tenderness and felt the feeling of the bandage. Also taking note of his lip, he knew it was a little swollen and split. Nothing to really do about that except let it heal on its own. "Thank you-uh, what is you name by the way?"

She looked at him for a full minute, not answering, from her eyes she was having that internal debate again. _Was she trying to think of a fake name? Did she even know her name? Did she even __**have **__a name?_

"Bella," she said, as if she had just confessed a secret to him. "My name is Bella."

_Bella_. He looked at her, rolling the name around in his head, matching her name to her appearance. Bella. It fit.

"It's nice to meet you, Bella." he held out his hand, which she took after a seconds hesitation and shook it. "I'm Jasper Whitlock."

"I know," she said with a little smile and he was confused at that. "Your brother has said your name before. So, it's nice to meet you too, Jasper."

He smiled at her and it widened when she returned it. He took this time to really study Bella up close, the last two times he saw her - it was her profile or it was in the low light of that alley.

_Fuck, she was beautiful._

Her red eyes obviously stuck out the most, they were framed by dark lashes and gently arched eyebrows. Her skin was pale and flawless, her nose gently slanted and her lips - damn, her lips were full - the top one a little moreso than the bottom. And when she smiled, his heart skipped a beat. He had never seen anyone so perfect. Not even Maria, who was considered one of the most beautiful women in Texas.

"What are you, Bella?"

The dazzling smile on her face faltered at this question, but she took a deep breath and answered him. "I'm a vampire."

Jasper almost expected her to say 'just kidding!' but from the look on her face, she was serious. He didn't really know what he thought she was - some kind of superhero, or alien, or whatever other comic book creature. Vampire. He then thought of last night, her biting into spider tattoos neck. So she was a vampire - super fast, super strong, blood drinking creature of the night.

He tries to think of all lore surrounding vampires - repelled by garlic, killed by wooden stakes, sleep in coffins, burned by daylight- wait, he had seen her out in the day yesterday.

"How were you out in daylight?"

She grinned at this, "That's just a myth."

"What about garlic and stakes? Do they kill you or hurt you? Or holy water, does that hurt you? Is there a coffin next door?" Jasper half-joked the last question as he glanced at their shared wall, really hoping that there wasn't.

"Garlic, like all human food, we don't care about. It just smells like dirt to us. Stakes wouldn't even penetrate our skin," he flinched at the memory of his nightmare, the bullets not even making a mark. He would have to ask about that later, "and no, there's no coffin next door. In fact, we don't sleep. Ever."

"We?" he questioned, "So there are more of...your kind?"

"Yes, there's more. Though you've probably never encountered one. They're usually more rogue, I'm an exception."

"So, you were...human...before you were a vampire?"

"Yes," she nodded.

"When did you become a vampire? _How _do you become a vampire?"

Bella looked a little troubled at this, her red eyes going a little sad and he regretted asking. He opened his mouth to tell her she didn't have to tell him when she beat him to it. "I was turned in 1989. All of our bodily fluids - blood, saliva - are all replaced by venom when we are turned. To turn a human into a vampire, you have to inject them with this venom."

"Just like that?" Jasper asked.

She shook her head, "I wish. It's one of the most painful things to go through. You essentially burn for three days as the venom changes you."

He didn't expect that,

"So you were changed in 1989, how old were you?"

"I was twenty."

"So you were born in 1969?" he asked, receiving a nod in return. "So you're 50? Wow. You ever hear that you look great for your age?"

Bella smiled at this, letting out a bell-like laugh. Jasper smiled in return, happy he was able to get her to laugh. "No, I can't say that I have."

Jasper smiled, "I'm guessing that you don't age?"

"Nope. I was twenty when I was turned. I will forever be twenty years old."

"What other things have tv and movies gotten wrong about vampires?"

_This feels weird, _Bella noted, _I'm talking with a human_. She can't remember the last time she had, besides the occassional small talk at work with the patrons at the bar. It was nice to just talk to someone, let out her secret. Even though this was absolutely asinine and dangerous, she felt that it was okay. Her dad always told her to trust her instincts, and they hadn't lied before. "Let's see...oh, the whole can't see our reflection thing is false. I can't turn into a bat."

Jasper smiled, "Was kinda hoping you could, seeing that would have been pretty cool."

She returned his smile, "I gotta say, vampires are pretty boring."

"You're not boring me," Jasper said earnestly, causing her to meet his eyes. Usually as a vampire, she felt like she was in the background. She blended it, which made it extremely easy to hunt, to overhear bad humans that were destined to be meals, it made picking up and leaving easier, but she actually felt seen by Jasper. She felt human again, by this man she barely knew.

She looked at him, a little battered and bruised, his gorgeous face had a cut at his temple that she had put a bandage on, his lip was split, and she knew that his knee was aching something awful. The guilt rose in her, that she wasn't able to protect him before he had gotten hurt. If only she hadn't waited on that last table, she would have been outside in time to take those assholes out early and stop him from being hurt.

'_Know that everything does happen for a reason_,' she had been told in the past by her dad. Maybe she was meant to save him, she was meant to come to Houston, she was meant to find this place to live, directly next to Jasper Whitlock. She was meant to meet him. She slowly reached out her hand, giving him time to pull away, and gently brushed a lock of curly hair out of his face, just as she had last night. Maybe things weren't just random or left up to chance, maybe there was a bigger power guiding her. To Houston, to him.

Jasper didn't take his eyes off of her cold hand as she brushed his hair back before trailing to land on his cheek. She looked as she did last night - so fucking tender and soft. Her red eyes never left his and his heart ached as he watched her. He didn't know what the fuck was going on, he was in his apartment with a vampire sitting on his bed. A vampire who had saved his life last night. Just yesterday he had woken up, depressed and broken as he had for what felt like forever. Now, he finally felt like his die had been cast, he was on a path going somewhere.

Wherever she went, he needed to be.

The doorknob to his front door jiggled and opened, Jasper's head whipping over to it.

_Oh, fuck._

"Jasper?"

His mom was here.


	5. Chapter 4 - til the end of time

**AN: Do not own twilight.**

**Song of the Chapter - Father Figure by George Michael**

* * *

**Chapter 4 - I will be the one who loves you, till the end of time...**

"Jasper?"

Jasper feels a breeze and Bella is suddenly gone from her spot on his bed. Seeing as how the door to his bathroom is now closed, she was hiding in there. _Man, she is fast. _

His mom walks in, glancing around the small apartment berfore her eyes land on him in bed. Her bright and smiling face suddenly transforms to concerned as she gets a good look at him._ Oh, here we go. _"Jasper! What in God's name happened to your face?"

She hurries over to his bed and sits down, brushing his blonde curls out of his face to see the cut on his temple and his split lip. Jasper winces at the contact and gently pushes her hands away from him.

"I-" he starts - _come on, think of something, anything! _\- scanning his brain for a lie. Though he is a grown-ass man, but he is also a good southern boy and good southern boys _do not _lie to their mamas. Well, at least he didn't. Peter is another story. "I fell."

"You fell?! Your face looks like that from falling?!"

He winces at her tone knowing he is going to have to play this delicately, lest he set her off. Or worse, say something that could expose Bella. "Peter, Char, and I went out last night. I think I might've had a little too much and tripped up the stairs. I'm fine, mama. Nothing more than a scratch."

"Lord have mercy, Jasper Anthony, your face looks like you got in a fight! You have to be careful!"

"I know, mama," Jasper sighs, hating how she was fussing.

Anna Whitlock is a true blue southern belle. Jasper inherited his blonde curls and tan skin from her, while he got his height and his hazel eyes from his pop. People around town always commented how Anna Whitlock was still so beautiful, even at fifty years old and how his Pop was incredibly lucky. _"Don't I know it," Jackson Whitlock would drawl, pride on his face when talking about his wife._

The Whitlocks were true family people, though there was only the four of them left. Anna and Jackson's parents had passed on in the years prior and all extended family was gone from Texas, scattered around the country. Whitlock Farm was Jackson's responsibility and, eventually, Peter and Jasper's. So, the four of them were extremely protective of each other, hence Anna almost exploding at Jasper's battered face, and, man, she could be scary when she was angry.

One time, Jasper and Peter had gotten driven the tractor around the Farm, unknowing to Anna and Jackson who had gone out to dinner. Unfortunately, seven year old Jasper and ten year old Peter weren't taught how to properly operate it and it had gone wild, destroying some of their crops. He had thought his mama's head was going to explode when she had seen the mess they made.

Despite the fact that she stood about a full foot shorter than him did nothing to ease his fear of God in her. She had a quick temper and was not afraid to stand up to _anyone_. Especially when it was in regards to family.

Jasper decides to try and change the subject, "What are you doing here?"

"A mother come visit her son who hasn't bothered to visit _or call _in two weeks?" Anna scolds him with pointed eyes before smiling, "Your dad is out for the day and I wanted to see if you wanted to go to breakfast? My treat."

Jasper smiles, nodding his head. How could he resist that offer? Besides, it would get them out of the apartment so Bella can escape. "Sure, mom."

"Great," she stands up, swinging he purse over her shoulder. "Let me just go to the bathroom real quick and we can go."

She's halfway to the bathroom when Jasper realizes and panics. _Shit shit shit, Bella is hiding in there, what the hell am I gonna do?!_

"Mama, wait-"

She turns toward him in confusion, hand on the doorknob before the hear the sound of the toilet flushing. Anna jumps back, a little startled and turns to Jasper confused.

Then the door swings open, revealing Bella. Jasper briefly panics, wondering how he is going to explain that his houseguest as red eyes - _Halloween costume? _\- before he sees that her red eyes were now a dark brown - _what the hell?_

"Oh!" Anna says whens he sees her, sounding surprised and - to Jasper's confusion and amusement - _delighted_. "Hello, who might you be?"

Bella puts on a dazzling smile and holds out her hand, "Hi, I'm Bella."

"Jasper, I didn't know you had company," Anna says with a sly smile, taking Bella's hand, her blue eyes sparkling in happiness.

Anna had been absolutely enraged when Maria had broken up with him, only Peter and his Pop stopping her from going and 'teaching that little hussy a lesson'. She had tried comforting Jasper, telling him that he _would_ find someone who accepted him fully. Who would love him unconditionally, who would take care of him. It happened for her, it happened for Peter, and it would happen for him.

She had tried to set Jasper up, hoping to find a girl that - she approved of - and would fit those requirements. Unforunately, none of them got to the stage of meeting Jasper. None of them just seemed to fit the bill to her.

Jasper seems to have found a girl on his own though, and by looking at her, something about her says that this is a good one. Defintely pretty - gorgeous, even - though the face is a little pale and her skin is a little cold, she notes as she shakes the girls hand. _Maybe she's anemic? Oh, it doesn't matter, _Anna pushes that thought away. She seems sweet and she catches the way they girl looks over at Jasper, an adoration shining in her face and eyes. Oh, if this is what she thinks it is, she approves. And if it isn't - she's going to try her damndest to make it so.

"I-" Jasper doesn't really know how to explain. _This is crazy, _he thinks. His mother is shaking the hand of a vampire, and doesn't even know it, already dazzled by the sweet girl.

Bella sees Jasper struggling and decides to save him, "I live in the apartment next door. I was coming home from work last night and I saw Jasper fall. I think he hit his head, so I just wanted to make sure he was okay through the night. You should probably have it checked out today."

"Oh, well, how sweet," Anna coos, smiling at the girl. She lays a hand on her shoulder, "Thank you so much for helping my boy, Bella. I'm Anna, Jasper's mother."

"It's very nice to meet you, ma'am." Bella smiles at her. She turns to Jasper, desperately wanting to stay but knows that this is the time to take her leave. She slings her bag over her shoulder. "Well, I should be going. I think you're in good hands now, Jasper."

Jasper desperately wants her to stay, wants to continue their conversation, he also just didn't want her to be out of his sight just yet. He barely knew this girl - this vampire - but he wants to know everything about her. He wants to continue talking to ber, hearing her voice.

"Wait, Bella," Anna calls, causing the girl to stop. "I would love to properly thank you for helping my Jasper out, would you like to come out to breakfast with us?"

Jasper cringes a little bit, both because he knows that Bella doesn't eat food and because his mom just asked someone out on a date for him. Could the ground open up and swallow him?

"Oh," Bella says, sounding a little caught off guard. "Thank you so much for the offer, but I haven't been to sleep yet and I have work again tonight."

"Oh, of course, go get some rest, honey. Maybe some other time?" Anna says, smiling at the girl. Jasper knows that's not a question, Bella won't be getting out of another invitation so easy.

"Absolutely," Bella tells her, turning back to Jasper. His heart stutters as she smiles at him, a shy little smile he finds so _god damn cute. _"I'll see you around, Jasper."

"Bye, Bella," Jasper says, "Thank you. For _everything._"

Catching the meaning in his words - for saving his ass last night and carrying to his apartment and tucking him in - she winks before disappearing through his front door. A second later they hear her own door open and close. Jasper reaches up and rubs his chest, it suddenly aching at her absence.

"Oh my," Anna says, practically squealing. "She is just so dang cute, Jasper."

"Mama," he starts, her not listening to him.

"We should invite her to family dinner one night," Anna continues on, "I would love to have her over to thank her properly."

"Mama, please-"

"Jasper, don't you start," Anna waves him off, "You should thank her properly. Oh, do you think she'd like flowers? We could pick some up on the way home from breakfast? What kind of flowers do you think she'd like? I'm thinking sunflowers."

Jasper groans as she disappears through the door of the bathroom, giggling like a schoolgirl.

* * *

Bella slides down the wall of her apartment, hearing Jasper and his mother leave, taking a few seconds to gather her thoughts. Everything happened so fast last night and her world is now irrevocably changed. She reaches up and rubs her chest as he gets further away, feeling the ache grow. She's tethered now.

Reaching into her bag, she takes out her cellphone and goes to text someone that she thinks can give her more info, only to see them already having texted her.

**You met him, I saw.**

Bella rolls her eyes,_ of course. _**Is this even possible? He's not like us.**

They tried to use some form of code through text, trying to avoid using the v-word. While there were probably some weirdos out there who truly believed they were vampires - big thanks to vampire romance tv and movies - it was just safer this way.

**Things will not be complete until he is.**

Bella stares at that last message, dreading the answer to this question but needing to know. **Does he?**

**85% probability right now and still growing. **Her dead heart leaps at this, feeling a hundred different emotions - excitement, happiness, anxious, worried, scared...

This was uncharted territory.

**What do I do?**

**I can't tell you what to do in this, follow your heart. I will keep you updated, everything will be fine. I'm so excited to meet him. xo**

Taking a deep breath, she allows herself to relax for the first time in hours. She had met him, and she had almost lost him too. A minute later and he would have been dead. Would she have known? Would she have felt him leave the earth? Would she have felt the loss? She rubs at her aching chest as she hears him and his mom leave his apartment - his knee is hurting him because his steps are even more off than they normally are - and feels the anger flare up inside of her.

She had been so angry, hearing those animals in the alley talk to him. At first, she didn't even know it was him - thought it was just some poor unlucky person getting robbed - so she was going to step in anyway - then she saw him and she felt a murderous rage build up inside of her she hadn't felt in so long. Not since she was newborn.

He looked so defiant as he stared at them, even though he thought that he was going to die, he was going to die with dignity and she had to give him credit for that. She wasn't going to let that happen.

So she killed them, to protect him, and then it all made sense. After she had fed, her inner beast being more dominant at that moment. It had saw it instantly, it just took her a little longer to understand why every other thought she had consisted of him; why his scent was the most incredible thing she had ever smelled, and why he was the most attractive creature - man or vampire - on this Earth.

Because Jasper Whitlock is her mate.

Her mate. Her safe harbor, her companion, her partner, her solace. It would be cruel to make a creature that lived for eternity without giving them someone to love. Of course, there were cases where mates were not romantic, the majority turned that way. Love is multi-faceted and romantic love can grow between mates. Ultimately though, it is the complete other half of your soul.

So she would do anything for Jasper Whitlock, including kill like she did those men.

She had drained the leader, the smaller one having died from her crushing his throat, and once she had carried him back up to his apartment and settled him in his bed, taking care of his wounds - she had gone back for the two henchman. They were bigger so they had filled her up pretty good and she quickly disposed of their bodies.

Bella had wanted to not scare him, feeling a little self conscious of the way she had been in her animalistic state, blood all over her face, snarling, growling. She had quickly cleaned herself up in her apartment before going back over to his, waiting for him to wake up - she had almost chickened out though. But, he wanted her to stay with him. He was curious about her. She felt seen. She felt wanted. It was incredible.

So, right now she will take things slow with him and go at his pace. She knows that he has been hurt in the past, he has been broken before, he's rebuilding himself now. She will do as a mate does - be his peace, his strength, and his protector.

* * *

Jasper truly enjoyed spending that time with his mama. He reckons he had stayed away, not wanting to feel like a failure in front of his family, not wanting to feel broken. They practically broadcasted their pity toward him and sometimes it was suffocating. But, he misses his family and promises his mama that he will be at the next family dinner on Sunday.

He glances down at the sunflowers in his hands, his mama having dragged him over to florist after their breakfast to get them for her. They had looked through the shop, trying to find the flower they thought fit her, when he had seen the sunflowers. They had always been his favorite flower, loving to drive by in his dad's truck and see the sunflower fields. He decides to go with a dozen of them, his mama smiling in approval.

As he stands outside her door, he debates with himself for a moment, wondering if this is a good idea? He wants to see her again, but it's only been a couple of hours since he saw her. Will he seem overeager? Maybe she does she want to see him again too. Does she also feel like this or is it just him? He absentmindedly rubs at his chest, the tightening feeling now gone.

"Fuck it," he mutters, raising his hand to knock on her door when it suddenly swings open. He can't help but smile as soon as he sees her. "Hey."

"Hey," she smiles back, "I heard you. How was breakfast?"

"It was good to catch up with my mom."

She glances down at the flowers, smile becoming shy now. "Those for me?"

"Yeah," he says, scratching the back of his neck sheepishly. "I, uh, just...wanted to thank you."

"You already did," she reminds him, smile not leaving her face.

"I wanted to thank you _properly. _My mama wanted to get you chocolates, but since," he glances around, checking to see if anyone is there - much to her amusement. The next words are whispered, "Since you don't eat, these are for you."

Bella takes the flowers from his outstretched hands, smiling at him. "This is very sweet. Thank you, Jasper."

"I didn't know what your favorite flower is, but these are my favorite so."

"These are perfect," she says, admiring them. "I've never had someone give me flowers before."

"Really?" he asks, her shaking her head. He then jokes, "Geez, what kind of boys did you date?"

Bella looks a little embarrassed suddenly. "Well...none."

He blinks, not believing he heard her right. "None? No boyfriends?"

She shakes her head negative, he then asks, dreading her answer a bit. "...girlfriends?"

She laughs, "I don't swing that way."

He's a little relieved at that, but still utterly confused. "But...look at you."

"When a person is changed to a vampire, it enhances beauty. Perfects features. It's how we attract our prey," she shrugs, looking a little shy at the compliment.

Jasper doesn't even think before he says, "Well then you must have been _merely _gorgeous when you were human."

Her eyes widen at this, looking at him like she had last night. So soft, like she was looking at something so precious. Her eyes get a little glassy as she whispers, "Thank you, Jasper."

He nods, happy that he was able to put that look on her face. She looks shy again, not lifting her eyes from the flowers in her hands as she asks him, "Do you want to come in?"

He smiles, "I'd love to."

* * *

**AN: Thanks for reading.**


	6. Chapter 5 - take my breath away

**AN: I don't own twilight.**

**Song of the Chapter: Take My Breath Away by Berlin**

* * *

**Chapter 5 - Take my breath away...**

"I should get going, I'm working a double in fifteen minutes." Bella says, standing up from her spot. Jasper glances at the clock on the stove and sees they've been talking for hours.

Jasper didn't quite know what he was expecting walking into Bella's apartment. Though she had assured him that there was no coffin, he still expected there to be some sort of old archaic item pointing toward her vampirism. A skeleton or something, but there's nothing of the sort it seems. The apartment is a mirrored version of his own, just scarcely furnished. The - the unused - refrigerator and stove sat in the small kitchen, across from it the bedroom/living room which has a dark green bean bag lying in the corner. Bella had told him she was an avid reader, which was how she passed time by as he saw a couple of books scattered near the bean bag. The only other thing in her apartment besides her backpack sitting on the floor was the macbook charging in the corner.

It seems that vampires are very minimal people and he is full of questions for her. Why her eyes suddenly turned brown when his mom was there - brown colored contacts in her bag, apparently she had a giant stock in them to help her blend in with humans. Where does she "hunt" - big cities attract the best vermin as she put it. She tries to only people who society won't miss, and occasionally she visits a hospital for terminally ill or dying senior citizens. What does blood taste like - that question was unanswerable due to not being able to relate the taste of blood to any human food. Bella had simply put it to one word - delicious. How come vampires don't sleep - _"no need to, we're dead."_

It had hit Jasper there that Bella was truly dead, her heart was not beating, there was no blood flowing through her veins. She is dead, but not. Truly weird and puzzling, but she didn't have the answers for him.

"The venom triggers the change, it burns you alive," she had told him, eliciting a shiver down his spine. It sounded absolutely painful and horrifying, though she deflected any type of questions regarding her own change.

"Who changed you?"

"Someone who is long gone now," she tells him, her tone ending that train of questions then and there. It seems a sore subject and while he's insanely curious about it, he does not want to intentionally cause any harm to her. He's known this girl - this vampire - for less than a day, but her happiness is becoming paramount to him, her presence needed in his life.

She did save his ass, after all.

But there's something else there. An attraction, absolutely - look at her for goddsake. There's something else, though - attachment. He feels bound to her, like if she would walk out of his life tomorrow it would be painful, agonizing even.

Bella feels it too, he knows it. He's starting to feel like he was before his accident - confident, sure of himself, charming, passionate. It's night and day, yesterday morning he felt a growing sense of hope but it was weak. Now, he feels recharged, reignited, renewed. He knows its because of her. She's attracted to him, though she tries to play coy, he feels her glances toward him, he understands what the looks she gives him means, and it's absolutely insane to think that the girl that he is attracted to is a fucking _vampire _and she's attracted to him too. It's insane, out of a bad romance novel. But it's real, the realest thing he's felt in years. Not even Maria felt like this - and this is only Day 1.

Did he understand what that means? No. Did he care? No. Is he afraid of the feeling? Fuck yeah. Does he want it to continue?

Looking up at her beautiful face, he knows the answer - abso-fucking-lutely.

She leads him out of her apartment and quickly locks her door before turning toward him. He reaches out and graps her cold hand in his, envloping it in his two warm ones. Turning on some charm, he kisses the back of it with a crooked smile. He can practically feel her attraction to him dial up a bit.

"Have a good night, Bella."

"See you later, Jasper," Bella says, smiling at him before turning to walk down the steps. He watches her till she completely disappears before walking into his apartment, hanging up his keys and walking over to his bed. He lays back down, smile still plastered on his face.

He wants to see her again, already. He absentmindedly rubs his chest as a slight ache appears and an idea strikes him, he could see her again tonight - he could go visit her. But, he didn't want to go alone, and no way in hell was he bringing his _mama _along to the bar. He was going to tease him mercilessly for this, but it is worth it.

_She is worth it._

Jasper dials his brother, hearing three rings before he is greeted with a "What?!"

Jasper laughs into the phone, knowing that his brother hadn't gone that hard in a while and was definitely still hungover. "Still a little hungover there, Big Petey?"

"Fuck you."

Jasper just laughs at the words, "Listen, I got just the cure."

"What?" Peter actually sounds a little hopeful at this. Must be a real bad hangover.

"A little hair of the dog," Jasper says, knowing that his brother won't say no to it.

There isn't any hesitation when Peter immediately asks, "What time?"

"8."

"Where we goin'?"

"Lonestar?"

"_Lonestar? _You mean that college bar across the street from you? No fucking way-"

"We're going to Lonestar and that's final," Jasper cuts him off, a little bit of bite in his voice. "Bring Char too," he adds as an afterthought. If Bella is going to meet his family, he's going to meet all of them. Well, not his Pop, but that day will come. Hopefully.

"Alright, we'll go to your pansy ass bar," Peter grumbles, suddenly sounding a little sick again.

"Go empty your stomach there, Cap."

"Fuck y-" is all that's said before yacking sounds are heard. Jasper just cringes and hangs up the phone, placing it on the end table.

_Three hours and I'll see her again._

* * *

Jasper heads over to the bar at quarter of, not able to wait any longer. He had gotten ready way too early because he was anxious. It had taken him a little longer to shower, his knee was cut up and still a little sore and the cut on his head stung every time he got soap in it. Looking at himself in his bathroom mirror though, he looks fine. Not unlike how he used to look as a child - always scraped up one way or another from a fight.

Pulling on a fresh black t-shirt and his jeans, he runs a towel through his damp curly hair before tossing it in the hamper. Going an extra mile, he sprays his favorite cologne on, hoping Bella likes the scent. He pulls on his black boots and his black jacket before he realizes that it's way too early and sits down on his bed.

He gives himself ten minutes before nothing is able to catch his focus and he says "fuck it," locking up his apartment and heading over to the bar.

He hands his ID to the bouncer at the door who verifies his age, waving him through and he sees that it's starting to fill up. Some pop-country song that's more pop than country blares from the speakers and he quickly makes his way over to the bar, finding a spot with three chairs.

"You need anything, honey?" the blonde bartender asks him, smiling at him in _that way_. He admits she's cute, long - probably fake - blonde hair, tan skin, and bright blue eyes but blondes have never been his type. Maria had once dyed her hair blonde and he had hated it. Of course, he would never tell her that so he had spent a month trying to gently explain to her that while she was always beautiful to him, he preferred her as a brunette. Of course, she had taken this to mean that he thought she was absolutely hideous and had cried for two weeks, refusing to speak to him. Eventually, she had dyed it back to brown.

"No thank you," he politely smiles at her.

"Just let me know, my name is Lauren," she winks, walking back over to a group at the other end of the bar. He glances around for Bella, trying to see her through the growing crowd before he sees her, walking back from delivering a couple of drinks to a table. She spots him and looks a little surprised, walking behind the bar and right over to him.

"Well, long time, no see," she smiles, causing him to panic for a second thinking maybe he made a mistake, maybe she's a little creeped out and turned off by him showing up here. In the middle of his panic, she smiles, the sun cutting through clouds on a rainy day, "Not that I mind."

"I've never been inside here," he shrugs, nonchalantly trying to maintain his cool. "Wanted to check it out."

Bella nods, though doesn't look like she totally believes him. The smile doesn't leave her face though, "What do you think?"

"It's a college bar," he states, glancing around to the young faces - freshly turned twenty-one, kids with a fake ID, no one over the age of 30 it seems.

"That it is," she says, placing "Do you want a drink?"

He shrugs, "Dealers choice."

She smiles and smoothly grabs a glass and set it on the bar, expertly pouring the whiskey in it before sliding it over to him. He smiles at her and takes a sip, the warm liquid sliding down his throat and igniting the fire in his chest. He grins as he takes another sip, "How did you know?"

"You're a Texas man," she says simply, smiling at him.

"How long have you been bar tending?" he asks, wondering if maybe she's been behind the bar since _he_ was in diapers. Now that's a thought he's not sure if he'll get used to. He wonders what she's seen in her life, where she's been...who she's been with...

"Couple years," she shrugs, though to her that could mean anywhere between two and twenty. "Good money and good for my lifestyle."

Jasper catches her meaning easily. An under the table job where she can find prospective.._.meals_. That's another thought that'll take some time to get used too. Bella is called over to a group of guys who just sat down at the bar. He sips his whiskey and watches as she greets them, the poor suckers already dazed by the beautiful bartender taking their order.

He doesn't even feel jealous at this and hell, he doesn't even blame them. She's magnetic, radiant, beautiful, and now he understands - now that the man behind the curtain has been revealed - this is how she attracts her prey. She is a hunter, a predator, and humans are her prey. A wolf in sheep's clothing, a shiver runs down his spine at this, remembering her feeding...

"Who is that?" he jumps at the voice right next to his ear, turning to see Peter and Charlotte staring in the direction he was.

"You scared me, asshole," he hisses, "That's my neighbor, Bella."

"Jasper, what the fuck happened to your face?!" Peter suddenly yells over the music, catching the attention of the some of the bar's patrons.

Jasper just rolls his eyes at his brother's mouth and mutters, "Guess mom didn't tell you."

Peter and Charlotte sit on the stools next to him, both looking at him concerned, "No, mom didn't tell me, you look like you got into a brawl."

Jasper inwardly winces at this, "Nah, I just fell up the stairs last night is all."

"Shit, I knew we should have walked you up to your apartment," Charlotte curses, looking guilty which Jasper waves off.

"It's fine, my knee gave out on the way up the stairs," Jasper says, before nodding in the direction of Bella, "She saw and helped me into my apartment."

Peter raises an eyebrow, sly smile on his face. "You sure that's all, because the way you keep giving the girl googly eyes is makin' me sick."

"She's cute, Jasper," Charlotte coos, looking at the girl. He sees Bella smile at little, obviously having heart Char's compliment.

"That she is," Jasper smiles, Bella's eyes drifting over toward him, her smile widening.

Peter, despite his whining about this being a college bar, ends up having a great time. He's missed these times, when it was just the three of them against the world. Of course, back then, they had a fourth but Peter had always had a bad feeling about Maria. And his feelings were _always _right. Everyone had always ragged on him because he didn't like her and it had caused a rift between him and Jasper when they were in high school. Of course, they had repaired the rift, but Maria had started poisoning Jasper against Peter, and he hated it. Hated how his brother fell under her spell.

Then Jasper came home hurt, Maria had left him, and he had to resist the urge to yell _"I told you so!" _to everyone who told him he was ridiculous for not liking Maria. The big bad bitch had finally shed grandma's clothing and revealed herself, but it wasn't the time to be right, it was the time to support his brother who was broken beyond measure.

He hated seeing his brother like that, Jasper despite being the younger brother, he was the protective one, the spitfire, the not to be fucked with one. Peter, despite being a crude son of a bitch, was more level headed and didn't rise to anger as easy as his brother. Therapists advised the Whitlocks to just be there for Jasper, listen, and support but do not try to force change.

There was a change in his brother, though. He seemed lighter, he laughed harder, smiled more. Peter had a feeling that it involved the pretty brunette bartender, and his feelings were always right.

She was a sweet one and undeniable cute as Charlotte had said, and they way she looked at Jasper. He recognized it, it's the same look he gives to Char, the same one she gives to him, the same looks his parents give each other. She liked his brother, and his brother liked her. He would be cautious, for Jasper, not wanting another female to wreck him like Maria did, but Jasper needed this happiness.

"I mean to tell you, we're putting together a Halloween party tomorrow," Peter tells Jasper, taking another shot.

"That's last minute," Jasper says once his throat is done burning. Why the hell did Peter convince him to do tequila shots. It was his brother's favorite liquor for some reason, having been introduced to it while in the Army.

"It was supposed to be at my sister's house, but her basement flooded," Charlotte tells him, "We're having it at our place instead."

"Bring your girl," Peter tells him, Charlotte's eyes lighting up from the thought.

"I don't have a costume," Jasper says, Peter waving him off.

"Yes, you do. We bought you one today. Giving you no options but to accept."

"Is it embarrassing," Jasper asks, ignoring Peter's immediate answer of 'totally' as he looks at Char who shakes her head no, smacking Peter on the back of his head. "Alright then."

"We're gonna head out," Peter says while standing up, Jasper standing up with him to hug him.

"I love you, man," Peter murmurs in his ear, causing him to smile.

"Love you too, bro," he says, before turning to hug Charlotte, "Thanks for coming."

"Say 'bye' to Bella for us," Charlotte says, "And don't forget to bring her tomorrow!"

He watches as they walk out of the bar together, turning back to see Bella standing there taking their glasses. "Sorry I missed them. 21st birthday at that table and they're doing twenty-one shots. Kids at five and looks like he's gonna puke."

Jasper follows her gaze and sees a poor kid trying to hold on to what's in his gut, but looks like he's on the losing end. Not wanting to see him yack, he turns back to Bella, breaching the subject of the party.

"Peter and Char are having a Halloween party tomorrow. Would you want to go?"

Bella raises her eyebrows," A Halloween party. Do I have to dress up?"

"No," Jasper immediately shakes his head, "You don't have to if you don't want to."

Bella thinks about it for a second, "I think I can pull together a costume by tomorrow. What time?"

"He said it starts at 9."

"I was supposed to work tomorrow night, but I haven't had a day off since I started," Bella says with a smile, "Shouldn't be a problem."

"Great."

* * *

Jasper raises his hand and knocks on Bella's door, wondering what she's going to think of the costume Peter had picked out. He has to admit that it doesn't look bad, at all, and it's actually pretty comfortable. Also, he feels good about himself in it. Since he can't really do many leg workouts, he's had to focus more on working out his upper body. The costume leaves his arms bare allowing him to show them off a bit. He looks at the hammer he's holding and feels a bit silly, but knows he can just sit it down once they're at the party and he's extremely glad the red cape on him is short. All in all, Peter did well.

Bella had gotten off a little early the night before and they had walked back to the apartment together. She told him she had some things to do during the day but she would be ready for him before 9. He had wished her goodnight before seeing that she was heading toward the steps and not her apartment. When she saw his inquiring glance, she smiled.

_"I'm heading out. See if I can grab a meal."_

He had quickly gotten her meaning and while it felt a little weird knowing she was going out to _kill somebody _so she could drink their blood, he was comforted with the fact that she didn't kill bad people and instead wished her luck. She had laughed at that and thanked him, before heading along her way.

It should bother him, he should run for the hills, telling anyone - the police - that this girl was a vampire and she killed people. But, for some reason, and he was really questioning his moral compass, it didn't bother him. She killed for food and survival the same way humans did. It was in her nature.

Bella pulls the door open, pulling Jasper from his thoughts and his mouth drops open at the sight of her.

"Hi," she smiles, red eyes sparkling as she looks him up and down, obviously pleased with what she sees. Jasper can't stop doing the same, his mouth going dry, the breath knocked out of him.

Bella is dressed up in what she had told the spider tattoo in the alley.

Her dark brown hair is curly instead of its usual wavy and he sees two little red horns in it. A tight red halter top, black jeans, and black boots makes up the rest of her outfit.

Bella is a demon. A _stunning_ demon. This is what they must look like in hell, why there are so many sinners in this world. They see demons like this and want to commit all types of unholy acts for them. Fuck, he has one unholy act that he wants to do with Bella running through his head right now.

His mouth is dry as he looks at her. She's not the most curvy girl, but she's lithe and gorgeous. The red halter she's wearing gives his eyes a little access to her cleavage and her long legs are adorned in skin tight black jeans, letting him see how nice and toned they are. The black leather boots on her feet pull it all together and Jasper isn't sure he has ever seen anything so perfect. She had said the venom enhances beauty, he stands by his statement that she must have been _merely _gorgeous then.

She smiles as if she knows what's running through his mind, "Fitting, huh?"

"You look beautiful," he tells her, trying to project his sincerity to her.

Her smile turns a little shy at his words, "Thank you, _Thor,_" she says, walking out of the apartment and locking the door. She sneaks a glance at his arm muscles and smiles again, "I love the costume."

He smirks as they start heading downstairs as Jasper takes out his phone, "I'll get the uber-"

"No, I'll drive us."

"You have a car?" he asks, causing her to nod as they walk outside and she leads him over to a large red truck parked right out front of their building. His mouth drops open a little in surprise - it's the brand new red Chevy Silverado. He had one years ago, of course not as new as this, but he had loved it just the same. It was his first car, "You _have _a car."

"Just bought it today, actually," she shrugs, unlocking it and sliding in with ease. It's big enough that Jasper has to use the step to get into it, wincing a little at the pressure on his knee before he settles into his seat and is hit with the new car smell. He sees that it's truly brand new, only twenty miles on it.

"So, did you lease it?" Jasper asks, curiously. He wasn't sure if Bella kept her money in a bank, how she keeps herself under the radar. Their landlord accepted cash payments so he imagined that's how she paid for the apartment and had assumed that the bar tending job allowed her to pay for it. It seems like once he has his questions answered by her, more of them pop up.

"No, I bought it."

"So you financed it?"

"No, Jasper," Bella laughs a little, "I _bought _the car. It's mine."

He's surprised at this, "Like, outright?" Bella nods, "You know how expensive this car is?"

"About $62,000," Bella states, starting the truck and Jasper almost sighs at the pleasurable purr of the brand new truck. He looks around at the interior, seeing that she got the truck with all the bells and whistles, and wonders how Bella had the money for it. Is she flat broke now?

Jasper decides to tread this lightly, "...and you just handed _all_ of that over?"

Bella nods, getting a little sad smile on her face. "I actually used to have a truck just like this - when I was a human. My dad bought it for me. I saw it at the dealership and I just couldn't walk away from it. Besides, I've been wanting to get a car for a while."

Jasper wants to ask, desperately wants to dig a little deeper in the mysterious past of Bella, but he doesn't. He doesn't want to say anything to upset her and he sees that she's getting a little sad now, so he wants to change the subject. "Do you keep your money in a bank?"

"Yes, I actually have a lawyer who handles all of that stuff," Bella says, connecting her phone to the Bluetooth in the car and putting on some music.

Jasper raises an eyebrow, "Does he know?"

"Well...he doesn't know what exactly, but he know something is up considering I haven't aged since he started working for me in twenty years ago," Bella smiles fondly at this. "Though he tells me he doesn't really care since his retainer is always paid and have gradually increased it over the years for him. He's a good man, he does good work, and he's very loyal and silent."

"How do you have this money, Bella?" he's almost scared of the answer - a million bad scenarios running through his mind, that he doesn't know if his morals would approve of her doing.

"No, I don't rob banks, and no, I don't steal from my food," she tells him, glancing over at him with a coy smile, "I've made some good friends over the years and I've always been working. As you notice, I don't eat food, I haven't always lived in a residence, and I don't pay for travel. My only expenses are clothes and I hate shopping so I barely spend money there. I've invested some of my money in the stock market."

Jasper feels a little awkward now, he didn't want to come across accusing and worries that he did. "I didn't mean-"

"It's fine, Jasper," Bella says, pulling away from the parking spot. They're silent for a bit, besides Jasper giving her directions toward Peter and Charlotte's house. For their wedding present, Charlotte's parents had built them a house on a couple of acres of land to get them started. Jasper notices that most of the songs Bella plays are from the 80s - the era she was a teenager in - and the one that's playing right now causes him to smile.

_"Watching I keep waiting/Still anticipating love/Never hesitating to become the fated ones/Turning and returning to some secret place to hide/Watching in slow motion as you turn to me and say/Take my breath away..."_

"This is one of my favorite movies," Jasper says, gesturing to the song playing. "Top Gun."

"I actually saw it in theaters," Bella tells him with a smile. He's not sure when it'll truly click that Bella is _old. _ Her smile turns a bit dreamy, "I was sixteen and in love with Tom Cruise."

Jasper is amused at this, "I think we all fell in love with Tom Cruise after Top Gun. When I was sixteen, Peter and I went as Maverick and Goose for Halloween. Peter even grew a mustache for it, which Charlotte absolutely hated but he was determined."

Bella laughs at this, a beautiful bell like sound. "This I_ have_ to see, please tell me you have pictures."

Jasper smiles, "Charlotte made sure there was plenty of them for blackmail. They ended up coming in handy to her many times."

Bella laughs again at this and Jasper can't tear his eyes from her, his heartbeat quickening in his chest.

_"Take my breath away..."_

* * *

The party is in full swing by the time they get in the house. It's jam packed, music pumping from the surround sound speakers and people are already hammered as they dance and laugh and drink. He immediately grabs Bella's hand, earning a smile from her, as he leads them through the house to find Peter and Charlotte.

There's many familiar faces here, - people he and Peter went to high school with look at him in surprise that he's actually at the party. Everyone knew that Jasper came back from the war injured and he was practically a hero to them. He gives friendly waves when his name is yelled out, constantly looking back to check on Bella, who looks a little overwhelmed.

Jasper spots Cecily, Charlotte's older sister, and leads Bella over to her. She's a carbon copy of Charlotte and currently dressed in a skimpy cop uniform as she stands in a corner talking to her boyfriend, Jon and her friends. "Jasper! I didn't know you were coming, it's so good to see you!"

Jasper smiles at her as she briefly hugs him, "Good to see you too. You know where Peter is?"

"He's in the kitchen-" Cecily then spots Bella, still holding on to his hand. She smiles, "Jasper, who is this?"

"This is Bella," he says, Bella stepping up so that she's next to him, "Bella, this is Charlotte's sister, Cecily."

"Nice to meet you," Bella says, shaking the girls hand.

"Likewise," Cecily says, sly smile in Jasper's direction. "Peter and Char are in the kitchen."

"Thanks," Jasper tells her, seeing her wink at him before he leads Bella toward the kitchen.

"Fuckin' finally!" he sees Peter pouring vodka shots. Charlotte smacks him on the arm as she places two bottles of tequila on the kitchen island. Jasper smiles when he looks at their costumes - Han Solo and Princess Leia. Charlotte even twisted her hair into the cinnamon buns hairstyle. They look great. "Where have you guys been?"

"Shut up, your nerf herder," Charlotte hisses before turning toward them. "Bella, you look gorgeous!"

Bella shyly glances down at her outfit, "Thank you, Charlotte. You look great, as well. The hair is spot on."

Charlotte reaches up the cinnamon buns with a smile before turning to Jasper, "Now what do you say about your costume?"

"Thank you, Charlotte," Jasper says, hugging his sister-in-law.

Peter brings over a tray of four shots, "Alright, enough sappy shit, let's do a shot!"

Jasper goes to tell Peter that Bella doesn't drink, but she raises her hands, "I'm the DD, so I'll sit out on drinking tonight."

Peter shrugs, "More for me, then."

The quartet have a great time as the night goes on, they mostly stick to the kitchen, Peter having Bella play bartender and make a concoction of shots for them and the other party guests. She makes one that tastes like blue Gatorade that Peter begs her to teach him how to make, though she says she's taking it to the grave. They dance and have a good time, Jasper extremely pleased that his family likes Bella. Charlotte and Bella sink into an easy conversation as Jasper walks through the crowd to go to the bathroom. When he's done, he passes by a few more familiar faces, waving hello and making some small talk, but desperate to get back to the kitchen with Bella.

"Jasper," he hears from behind him and closes his eyes. No, why the hell is she here. He turns around to face her, hoping that maybe he had imagined her voice, but no. Unfortunately she is here, at his brother's house, despite everyone in his family hating her.

She has the fucking gall to stand there, in a short white dress, small wings and a halo headband in her dark hair, dressed as an angel when he and everyone in this house knows she is nothing but angelic. At one point in his life, she was the most beautiful thing in the world, so perfect and sweet, but now - he feels nothing but disgust and resentment.

"What the hell are you doing here, Maria?"

* * *

"Jasper told us you're his knight in shining armor," Peter says to Bella, making conversation when Cecily drags Charlotte away to dance. They watch them amused from the doorway of the kitchen.

"Of a sort," Bella replies.

"Listen, Bella, I'm really grateful to you for helping my brother out," Peter starts and Bella looks at him, understanding where he's going with this, "and he's getting better, but he's still a little fragile and if you're planning on hurting him, then fuck off right now."

"Peter, I can say with complete certainty that I'll never hurt Jasper," Bella tells him, meeting his eyes. She's extremely glad that Jasper has someone this protective of him in his life, someone to watch his back, so she doesn't blame him for threatening her. It pleases her if anything. "I promise."

Peter looks at her for a couple of minutes before he smiles and nods, raising the cup in his hand for her to clink with her own filled with water. She pretends to drink it, before glancing back out to the living room, seeing Jasper now talking to a pretty looking brunette dressed as her costume's antithesis - an angel.

"What the fuck?!" Peter hisses, having followed Bella's line of sight. "What in the god damn fuck is Maria doing here?"

"Who is that?" Bella asks Peter, looking over to Jasper and the woman, Maria. He's upset at her presence, which is causing the animal in Bella to start to rear its head. _Mate in trouble, _it hisses at her,_ protect and destroy. _She centers herself, not needing it to break out and for her to slaughter this entire party to protect Jasper. He's not in any immediate danger, but he is distressed, she sees his face becoming darker, angrier, but also sad. This woman has caused him pain in the past.

"Maria," Peter hisses, grabbing the bottle of tequila from the island and taking an angry swig. Bella waits for him to elaborate, "Jasper's ex. Dumped him as soon as he got back from Iraq."

_Mate in trouble, mate in trouble, mate in trouble! _her animal screams at her and as Peter starts to go over to handle them, Bella grabs him and pulls him back, shaking her head. He looks at her, a little angry at having been stopped before she marches right over to them, intending to put an end to this._ This bitch is about to learn her place._

Bella cuts in between Jasper and Maria before gently grabbing Jasper's face and pulling his lips to hers.

* * *

**AN: I love Top Gun and I'm stoked for the new one. The Bella kissing Jasper scene was inspired by the movie The Girl Next Door - love that movie.**


	7. Chapter 6 - I'm on fire

**AN: I don't own twilight.**

**Song of the Chapter - I'm On Fire by Bruce Springsteen**

* * *

**Chapter 6 - I'm on fire...**

Jasper doesn't quite know what is happening.

One minute, Maria was in his face, trying to touch him and spouting a whole bunch of bullshit saying that she's changed and she misses him. That she just made a mistake and that it was hard on her to accept the broken version of him. She begged him to think about all the fun they had together and how no one will ever love him like she did. Then all of a sudden, a pair of cold lips are on his kissing him.

Bella.

_Holy shit._

_Bella_ is kissing him, holding his face gently in her hands. It takes only a second for his brain to catch up and for him to kiss her back. He reaches his hands up to tangle in the back of her hair and the other envelops her waist. He feels her being a little hesitant, not sure how he would react but he deepens the kiss, pulling her even tighter toward him. His body ignites, despite her cold lips, he feels like he's on fire. Nothing has ever felt so sweet, so good, so _right. _Just like that, Bella is everything to him. A reason to wake up, an anchor keeping him to the Earth, a light in the darkness. She is his.

She pulls away from him and they just stare at each other for a couple of seconds, _she feels it too. _

"Hello darlin'," he says to Bella, the term of endearment slipping out but he means every bit of it. She smiles at him, touching his cheek the way she did in the alley, she looks so god damn soft and beautiful, he doesn't resist the urge to gently kiss her lips again.

"What the hell?! Who the fuck is this, Jasper?" Maria yells, causing them to pull apart. He keeps Bella close though, his arm wrapping around her waist as his ex eyes Bella with disdain. Though he sees it on her face - she's insecure that this gorgeous woman just kissed him, that he's moved on, that he's found someone better and he's not a lonely recluse like she had thought. The ultimate defeat for any ex.

The vampire just curls into Jasper's side and she smiles that sweet smile of hers at Maria, "I'm Bella."

Maria sneers at her, "Was I talking to you-"

"No, but you _were_ talking _about_ me and I have my own mouth and can answer for myself," Bella just replies in a kind tone, like she was talking to a child. The party goers have all turned their eyes toward them now, some hoping to see a cat fight - some already placing bets in the Demon vs. Angel brawl. Charlotte immediately walks over with Peter, who had been watching on the sidelines - impressed as hell with Bella - and though his money is on the demon, he does not want his house to be the sight of a fight, "Look what trash the cat dragged in. What are you doing here?"

Maria turns her brown eyes toward him, "I came to talk to Jasper-"

"-in _my_ house, where you have never been welcome, and you sure as shit ain't welcome now," Peter snarls at the girl, who backs up a bit in fright. "So get the fuck out before you're tossed out."

"Fuck you, Peter," Maria hisses at him, before turning toward Jasper. "My number is still the same, call me."

Jasper shakes his head, pulling Bella to him tighter. "Not gonna happen."

"Get out, Maria," Charlotte instead snaps, pointing toward the front door. "And if you every try to talk to Jasper again, I'll kick your ass myself."

"Don't let the door hit your ass on the way out," Peter drawls at Maria as she walks by him. She flips them off over her shoulder as she storms out. Peter then turns to the curious crowd, "Alright, the bitch is gone, party's back on - shots in the kitchen!"

Most of the party goers follow Peter into the kitchen, but Charlotte remains there with Jasper and Bella, looking extremely guilty.

"I'm so sorry, Jasper," Charlotte apologizes, "I have no idea how the hell she found out about the party. No one talks to her after...what happened."

"It's fine, Char," he assures her, not having blamed her one bit. "Don't worry about it. We're gonna head out, though."

"It was nice seeing you guys," Charlotte says, hugging Jasper. She then turns to hug Bella, "Thank you so much for coming."

"Thank you for having us," Bella says as she pulls away from the hug.

"Jasper, let us know when you get home safe," Charlotte gives him a pointed look and he nods.

"Say 'goodbye' to Peter for us," he tells her, his sister-in-law nodding as she walks into the kitchen where Peter is pouring shots for everyone.

Jasper and Bella ride the whole way home in silence, both not really sure how to broach what happened at the party. Jasper sneaks glances over to Bella, seeing her chewing on her lip as she drives, as if she's debating with herself. Jasper wants to ask her what's on her mind, but every time he opens his mouth, he doesn't know what to say. He doesn't regret her kissing him, in fact he wants it to happen again and again. Bella pulls into a parking spot in front of their apartment, but neither get out right away. They lock eyes for a second, and Bella smiles at him.

"About the kiss-" Jasper starts, before Bella gently cuts him off.

"Come on, I want to show you something," she says, getting out of the car and leading him up to her apartment. Once they're in there, she takes off the horn headband and tosses it somewhere before opening the window leading to her fire escape. "Come on."

Once they're both out, Bella effortlessly jumps onto the roof, causing him to double take. That's not gonna get old, he thinks before she peers over the edge to him. "Here, I'll pull you up."

Bella reaches a hand down and he grasps it, sticking his foot on the wall and feels her easily pull him onto the roof. He finally gets a good look and realizes that he can see most of the city from here. "Wow."

Bella smiles at him, "Sometimes, if I haven't fed in a bit, it gets a little overwhelming in the apartment. I can hear every heart beating and smell all of you, so I'll come up here for fresh air."

They sit down at the edge of the building, feet swinging over it as they watch the bustle of the city - people walking home from parties, people walking out of Lonestar Bar, people just walking the streets. The sky is clear tonight, allowing them complete view of the stars.

They sit in a peaceful silence for a little bit before Bella breaks it. "I was going to college in Phoenix."

Jasper looks over at her confused, seeing her eyes are a little glassy. He doesn't say anything, just waits for her to continue.

"It's foggy, but what I can remember was that I was walking to my car after a late class when I was taken. I don't remember much after that besides burning for what felt like eternity and waking up to two people standing over me."

She's answering his earlier questions - how she was turned and who turned her.

"His name was James, his mate was Victoria, and they took me. I was lined up in a barn with others who were tossing and turning, crying out in pain - they were burning too. They said that I was the first of this batch to wake up. I felt...I felt different. I could see every particle in the air, I could smell every scent around me as if it was right under my nose, everything was so loud, and my throat burned like a sore throat magnified by a thousand.

"They brought in some poor human and I drained them before I even realized what I was doing, but I would have done anything to ease the pain in my throat. They then explained what was happening, I was a vampire now and they were my masters and I would do anything and everything they said or they would kill me. Not knowing what is going on but having these two red eyed people threatening to kill you, I agreed with what they said and from that day on, I was in their army.

Jasper frowns in confusion, "Army?"

"A vampire army," Bella tells him, "A newborn vampire army. You see, when a vampire is in its first year of life, it's stronger and faster than regular vampires. Something about the human blood still coursing through their bodies. James and Victoria created an army of newborn vampires to fight other vampire armies. After your first year, when you were no longer as fast and strong, you were destroyed."

Jasper lets this sink in, trying to understand what Bella had gone through. Kidnapped, forced to become a vampire and fight in battles against other vampires. Yet, she remains so sweet, so kind and genuine and true. He can't help but reach out and grab her small hand in his, showing her his support. She gently squeezes his hand, flashing him a grateful smile. It looks as if a weight is gradually falling off her shoulders - this is helping her.

"What do vampires battle over?"

"Territory and pride."

"Sounds like regular human armies," Jasper mutters, causing Bella to let out a mirthless laugh.

"Well, we were all human once," Bella shrugs, "Attributes taken from your human life are magnified when you are turned."

Jasper frowns, "But you lived past your first year, how?"

"I was valuable," Bella spits out, looking bitter. "Some vampires, when they are turned, they gain something extra - a gift," she meets his eyes, "I'm a shield."

"A shield?"

"There are some vampires out there that are mind readers, that can see the future, that can forge bonds between people, or that can flat out control your actions. I can shield myself and others against them."

"Holy shit," Jasper breathes as he tries to take all of that in. Not only are there blood drinking vampires in the world, some of them can read minds or see the fucking future?!

"James would keep a handful of vampires - ones that were valuable to him like me to keep order among the newborns. I rose through the ranks as we won battle after battle," Bella says, that bitterness in her tone again. "And I was given rewards for my service."

"Rewards?"

"My pick of humans to drain," Bella's eyes become glassy again and she squeezes his hand, "and James gave me the _absolute pleasure _of allowing me to be fucked him, and he would not allow me to deny this reward. _'Good soldiers __**need**__ to be rewarded, and you are a good little soldier, Bella.'_"

Jasper doesn't move for a minute, doesn't breathe at her words. The red hot rage bubbles up inside of him. Bella - good, kind Bella - was raped by this fucking vampire. He stews in his rage for a couple of seconds, turning to see Bella looking pained. He immediately reaches out and pulls her to him and she breaks, sobbing in his arms. He envelops her tiny frame in his arms, kissing her head and murmuring sweet nothings in her ears. "It's alright, darlin', you're safe. I've got you."

Bella pulls herself together after twenty minutes, but doesn't remove herself from Jasper's embrace, liking her position too much. A vampire's greatest comfort is in the arms of their mate she had been told once, and she hadn't thought much of it. Experiencing it for herself, she wholeheartedly agrees.

"James and Victoria were mated and Victoria loved him but he did not love her, but he loved the attention she gave him. She would do anything for him. Including allow him to have sex with other female vampires. He was already lecherous before my gift was found out, but once it was, he became obsessed.

"Every time we won a battle, he would reward his soldiers with sex and blood. Body parts of the othe army would litter the battle field and James would let his soliders play with them. He allowed them to go into towns and grab human females and males they liked to fuck and drain. But I was always his.

"I wanted to escape, but I didn't know where to go, what to do. None of us did. This was all we had known. Dreams of leaving were whispered around the camp, lest James and Victoria catch wind of any plans. Many tried to escape, but James had a gift, he was a tracker. Like a hunter, but this was his gift. He could tell where you were just from sniffing the wind. He and Victoria were the perfect match because her gift was her elusiveness. She could never be caught. Anyone who tried to escape was tracked down, captured, and destroyed.

Bella looks up, intently looking into his eyes, "The only way to fully destroy a vampire is to set us on fire. Our venom is flammable. Remember that."

"How did you escape, Bella?"

"I killed James," "I had planned it carefully for a while. I was at the point where I didn't care what was on the outside because it had to be better than that hell. I had to be careful with who I trusted, many of the newborns just followed commands, though there were some who were nearing the end of their year and were desperate. So, one night after a battle, I went to James and Victoria's barn to _collect my reward_ from James.

"Right as he was at his most vulnerable, right when he fucking came, I ripped his disgusting head off. I made him watch as I ripped every limb from his body, I ripped his repulsive dick off and burnt it in front of him. We always kept lighter fluid around to burn our enemies when the venom wouldn't keep the flame going with how many bodies there were to burn. I drenched the barn and him and burnt it down."

Jasper tightens his grip around her, letting her continue to tell her story. His heart aches for her.

"I had told the others, when the barn is set aflame, run and don't look back. Most did, though some others decided to take their anger out on James' soldiers. I saw women and men who had been raped by his soldiers rip them apart and set them on fire. They were finally overpowered by the newborns, who were unafraid and had nothing more to lose. I felt a sense of pride that I had caused this, _I _had given them that. There had been talk and plots to overthrow James, but he always found out, he always stopped it before it became more than a fantasy. That sick bastard always wanted to punish me, but that was his biggest mistake."

"What about Victoria?" Jasper asks.

Bella shrugs, "I honestly don't know. The last I saw of her was outside the burning barn. She had felt James' death and came to find out what happened and saw me. I thought she was going to fight me, but she ran. The newborns would want to exact revenge on her too. I've never crossed paths with her to this day...

"So, that is how I was changed."

"I'm so sorry," Jasper immediately says, brushing her cheek with his hand. "I'm so sorry for all you had to go through."

"It's okay," she shrugs, "This made me who I am today...and it led me on the path to you. For that, I am grateful."

Jasper feels his heart leap and he leans down, pressing his lips to hers. She accepts the kiss, tangling a hand in his short curls. Jasper goes to slip his tongue in her mouth to deepen the kiss, when she suddenly pulls away. Rejection runs through his body, before she explains, "Be careful with my teeth," Bella warns him, looking a little embarrassed. "They're sharp."

Jasper smirks, "I guess they have to be, huh?"

"Thank you for tonight, Jasper," Bella tells him, smiling. "I had fun."

"Me too, Darlin'," he says with a smile, before it falls a bit. "I'm sorry about Maria."

"Don't be," Bella says, frowning now. "She hurt you."

"She did," Jasper confirms.

Bella reaches up and brushes a stray curl from his face, intently looking into his eyes. "I _won't_ hurt you."

He smiles and kisses the palm of her hand, "I believe you."

"I have to tell you something, Jasper," he watches her, waiting for her to continue. "There's a phenomena with vampires. It seems extremely unfair to have a creature walk the Earth for eternity without companionship. Every vampire has a mate. Like James and Victoria were."

"Like soulmates?" Bella nods, "We're mated, aren't we?"

Again Bella nods, a little unsure with how Jasper will process this information. She's worried he'll freak out, despite them finally acting on their attraction, this is a lot to take in one night.

"Mates aren't always romantic. Sometimes they're familial, sometimes they're just companionship, but it's a partner through life, someone to defend you with their life, protect you, take care of you-"

"I'm not running, Bella." Jasper cuts off her desperate explanation, hearing the nervousness in her voice. "It...honestly, it makes sense."

Soulmates. All the questions running through his head - why he feels this attachment so quick, why she is the most beautiful thing he has ever seen, why he trusts her so implicitly. It all makes perfect sense. He has met his soulmate.

"I leave everything to chance," Bella starts, smile growing on her face. "Do you know how I choose my next location? I tack a map to my wall and throw a dart at it. I saw Houston and thought nothing really of it. The vampire that I know who can see the future, her visions are subjective. They can change at a moments notice by decision, but this is not a decision, this is a grand design. Out of the millions of people in the world, a million different places I could have ended up, I was meant to come to Houston and live right next door to my mate. You were meant to be in that alley and I was meant to save you. Does that sound crazy?"

"No, and it means that you were put into my life at the exact right time," Jasper kisses her forehead. "Everything does happen for a reason."

"Would you..." Bella starts, looking a little nervous now. Jasper pulls the lip from her bottom teeth and urges her to continue, "I will never pressure you and it is entirely your decision, but would you want to be changed one day?"

Jasper is speechless at this. He hasn't really thought about it - becoming a vampire. Essentially dying and becoming, what was only a couple of days ago, a mythical creature. Having to kill and drink blood, never sleep, never eat food again. As he considers this, he realizes how much his entire world has been rocked in the last seventy-two hours.

"I...I don't know," Jasper admits.

"Like I said, it is entirely your decision and you do not have to make it in this moment," Bella affirms, "You would have to give up a lot. Your family, your normal life, we couldn't settle down in once place for two long, and you would have to..._hunt_."

"But we would always be together."

Bella looks intently at him, "But you wouldn't be able to have kids of your own."

Jasper smiles softly, "But all of the things we could see together. We could travel the world."

"But you would never be able to see your family again."

Jasper nods, "But _you_ are my family now too," he says, causing her eyes to become a little glassy. "It is a lot to think about right now."

"I will support whatever decision you make."

"What decision do you _want_ me to make?"

"Don't ask me that," Bella shakes her head, "You know which one I want you to make, but it is always up to you."

"We would have forever together."

Bella nods, "Forever."

"That does sound nice," Jasper smiles, lifting up her chin and kissing her gently. The decision is not made yet, but he knows which one he is leaning toward.

* * *

**AN: Thanks for reading. To everyone who has favorited, followed, or reviewed, thank you.**


	8. Chapter 7 - Feels like the first time

**AN: I do not own twilight. To all who have favorited, followed, and reviewed, thank you.**

**Song of the Chapter - Feels like the First Time by Foreigner**

* * *

**Chapter 7 - Feels like the first time...**

The month of November passes by fairly quickly and suddenly it's the week before Christmas.

Jasper has gotten back to going to Sunday dinners at his family's house, much to his parents - and Peter and Char's - delight. Of course, Anna had found out had found out that Bella had gone to the Halloween party and had been over the moon - especially hearing about the Maria situation on Halloween. She has been constantly telling Jasper to invite her over for family dinners, and he has deflected pretty well, telling his mom she worked weekends because that was the best time to get tips with all the college kids coming in to watch the football games. She's been invited to Christmas dinner though and he has been trying to find the way to broach the subject.

His relationship with his brother and sister-in-law has never been better. The trio frequently visit Bella at Lonestar nights she's working. Peter has been relieved of his chauffeur duties since Bella has gotten her truck, not that she minds at all. She'll drive him to his appointments, waits in the parking lot reading, and drives him home. Jasper's happy because this gives them extra time together.

Dr. Wilson notices a change in Jasper, a rising hope in him and inquires to what has brought that on. Jasper trusts him enough to tell him about Bella - obviously leaving the vampire part out - and her affect on his life. Dr. Wilson is pleased with this, that Jasper has felt confident enough to put himself out there and applauds him, telling him to keep this Bella close. He feels his knee recovering, his limp fading and fading each day, a new determination within him to improve, to fight through pain. He used to feel like he was just coasting through life on autopilot, things have meaning now.

As for him and Bella, not much has changed since Halloween and they're talk on the roof - not that it's a bad thing. They spend every available moment together, laughing, watching movies, talking, reading. Jasper took Bella to the drive in theater where they watched a movie from her truck, he shows her around all of his favorite hang outs in Houston, shows her his family farm from a distance. He's never felt like this about someone, she knows him like the back of her hand, she understands him, and he feels at home with her. The best he's ever felt. His mate.

The turning conversation hasn't come up again, not that's he's stopped thinking about it. He's been weighing both options, and it's honestly a difficult decision. Breaking it down to the bare bones, he would either be losing his family or he would be losing Bella. He's not sure which one would hurt worse.

The pros of becoming a vampire include being super fast and strong, practically becoming a super hero. Immortality is in the pro side as well, to think of all the time he will have, all the things he will see, the places he can go with the unlimited time. During his talks with Bella, he learns that your human attributes are magnified as a vampire, and any ailments are cured. She mentioned that she knew someone who had attempted suicide and broke practically every bone in their body, which was healed through the transformation. His knee would be healed, his scars would be gone. No more limp, no more aching in his knee when it rains, no more looking in the mirror and seeing the scars from the Army. No more nightmares, no more flinching at loud sounds. He would be _healed._

The most important pro would be that he would have Bella forever.

And then he debates the cons. He would never be able to see his family again, Bella telling him that he could run the risk of killing them. He would never be able to have children of his own. Admittedly, that dream had been given up when he got home from Iraq, believing that his PTSD would never be truly under control and exposing children to that is not ideal in his mind. Not being able to eat food again, never sleeping, having to live a nomadic lifestyle. The biggest con is that he would have to hunt. He once took an oath that he would do anything for his country, including kill for it, and when he finally did that, it felt awful. It's the main thing that plagues his nightmares.

He's pulled from his thoughts when his front door opens and Bella walks in from work. She smiles when she sees him and toes off her converse by the door, "Hey."

"Hey, Darlin'," he stands up and walks toward her, taking her face in his hands to kiss her. He keeps her face in his hands when he pulls away and she opens her eyes, smiling at him. He can see up close that the contacts are dissolving and the natural red of her eyes is showing. His heart warms at the sight of her.

"How was your day?"

Jasper hums, "Mmm...better now."

"Charmer," she teases, kissing him again.

"How was yours?"

"The usual," she shrugs, grabbing his hand and pulling him over to his bed. The climb in, taking their usual spots of him laying on his back and her laying her head on his chest. Jasper grabs the remote off his end table and puts a random show on to fill the background noise as they cuddle together, just basking in each other's presence. He had never been a big "cuddler" before, finding himself getting bored after a couple minutes of it, but this, laying with Bella in his arms...it was perfect. He could spend hours like this.

"Jasper," Bella starts, tracing his chest with her finger. He can practically feel that she's nervous and he glances down to her.

"What's wrong, baby?"

"I want to tell you something."

"Go on," he gently encourages her.

"I want you to make love to me."

Jasper feels his heart drop in his stomach at her words. They haven't really discussed taking their relationship to that level, not that Jasper was a virgin or a prude. He wants to have sex with Bella, he can't remember the last time he wanted something more. In actuality, he wasn't too sure of the logistics, if they even _could _have sex as a human and vampire. But, Christ, he wanted her, she was the most desirable woman he had ever laid eyes on.

"I'm nervous though." Bella suddenly says and Jasper frowns, raising a hand to her soft cheek.

"Why, Darlin'?"

"I've...I've never had...consensual sex...I don't really know what I'm doing," Bella stumbles out, not meeting his eyes. He feels a stab in his chest at the pain her words, "and I don't want to lose control and hurt you."

"I don't believe you could ever hurt me," Jasper affirms.

"Do you want me?" Jasper asks, kissing her.

"Yes."

"I want you, Bella," Jasper assures her, "I'm going to take care of you."

Bella smiles, "I trust you," she says, before leaning up and kneeling on the bed, pulling the black Lonestar v-neck over her head, leaving her in a plain black bra. She then stands up off the bed and undoes her belt, undoes the button of her jeans and pulls them off of her. Jasper gulps at the sight of her lacy black panties and immediately sits up, grabbing her hand and pulling her back on the bed to kiss her.

She guides her hand to the bottom of his long sleeve shirt and pulls it over his head, he watches as her red eyes turn black with desire as she looks at him shirtless for the first time. A growl rumbles in her chest but he knows she's not hungry to drink, she's hungry for him.

Bella then frowns and gently traces some scars on his chest and arms, looking at him for explanation. She's never seem him this exposed before, in both senses.

"I was a little shit as a kid," Jasper explains with a shrug.

"I've got scars too," Bella says, pointing to her torso and arms. Jasper squints his eyes and sees a bunch of crescent shaped scars littering her body, some layered over each other. She then turns around and his heart drops into his stomach. Long silvery scars trail the entire length of her back, he reaches up his hand to trace over them and realizes what they are - scratches down her back. She looks over her shoulder at him, "James liked to coat his fingers in his venom and scratch them down his back. Said my pain brought him pleasure."

"Bella..." he starts, a little choked up at the sight of them - reminders of a painful time in her life. He feels the red hot rage rising in him, but knows that he needs to quash it down. This isn't about him becoming angry, this is about comforting Bella, she is the most important thing here.

"Just battle scars," Bella shrugs and Jasper undoes the button on his jeans, sliding them off his legs. He points toward his left knee and his right thigh and her eyes become a bit glassy at the scars there.

"Battle scars," he says with a smile, "We match."

"Meant to be," Bella whispers and Jasper grabs her face in his hands, crushing his lips to hers.

"Meant to be, baby," he growls against her lips before kissing her once more. His eyes ask for permission once he pulls away and she nods, him reaching behind her to pull of her bra and panties, exposing herself to him for the first time. _Fuck,_ he curses, drinking in the sight of her naked body.

She's fucking perfect.

He must have voiced his thoughts out loud or it's the look on his face because she smiles and practically tackles him onto the bed, pulling off the remaining article of clothing between them.

She cries out softly as they finally join and become one.

* * *

"Do you remember your last name?"

They're cuddling after their second time together, Bella purrs smelling theirs scents mixed together combined with the smell of sex in his apartment. She had nothing to be afraid of, Jasper was a perfect gentlemen, he was so soft and tender with her, didn't pressure her into anything. James had been rough, forceful, painful. There was nothing but pleasure with Jasper. Pure ecstasy.

She glances up at his question though and smiles at him. "I do."

"What is it?"

"Swan," Bella answers with a small smile. "My parents named me Isabella Marie Swan. I hated Isabella though, I just liked going by Bella."

"Bella Swan," he hums, rolling it around in his head. "I like it," he then glances down to her, "but I think Bella Whitlock has a good ring to it, too"

Bella smiles wide and doesn't even think as she says, "I love you, Jasper."

She realizes what she just blurted out and briefly panics, wondering if it's too soon, but Jasper just kisses her, tender and soft.

"I love you too, Bella."

* * *

Bella watches Jasper sleep, gently tracing his face. She's so happy, she's so fucking happy. She has her mate, who loves her, who she loves. Tomorrow does not matter, his decision on becoming a vampire does not matter, how she's going to deal with his family for Christmas does not matter. All that matters is this moment, her mate is sleeping peacefully without nightmares and they finalized the bond and she is feeling alive again.

For years she just coasted.

Those ten years spent under James and Victoria's thumb, fighting their fight, having to watch vampire life be created and destroyed, having to endure all of that pain from James. Having to endure Victoria tormenting her because her mate was an sociopathic unfaithful fuck. Having to fight and fight and fight for no reason besides James needing to conquer territory.

Then she felt a semblance of peace when she escaped and ran. She tried to trace back to her human memories and realized that she was declared dead after a year search for her. She didn't have a life anymore to return to. For the first year she just wandered, going wherever she wanted, feeding when needed. She felt no direction or purpose and was close to lighting a pyre and throwing herself in it.

Before she did though, she wanted to see her dad once last time. She went to his home in Forks, Washington and crossed her paths with Alice Cullen. The small pixie vampire said that she was a mind reader and said that she saw a dark spot - an unknown vampire - watching Charlie Swan and thought that he was in trouble. Alice ended up introducing her to her family - a coven of "vegetarian" vampires. While she did not desire adapting to their lifestyle, she did enjoy their companionship and forged close bonds with the family.

Through them, she was able to establish a life for herself, Alice helping her invest some money in stocks and different companies that ended up making her very rich. She was eternally grateful to them, they allowed her to establish this life.

While she maintained a rather semi-nomadic lifestyle, she still liked to pass time by working and with working she needed a residence which caused her to have an apartment. Alice once told her that big things were in store for her based on the path she was on. Looking at the sleeping man next to her, that little pixie was right.

And you never bet against Alice.

* * *

Jasper walks back up to his apartment, finally finished Christmas shopping for his family. Peter and his dad had been taken care of for a month now, it was his mom and Charlotte that he was a little stumped with. In the end, he thinks they'll be happy with his gifts.

Bella had stumped him a bit, as well. What do you get a vampire that has the money to buy anything? Glancing at the bag in his hands, he thinks he did well for her too. He unlocks his apartment and freezes immediately.

There's someone in his apartment.

The dark haired man is facing away from him as he looks out the window. From the back, Jasper can see that he's tall and broad. Glancing at his nightstand, where his gun is, he wonders if he can reach it in time. He's confident that he would be able to take him down without though, the man was a couple of inches shorter than him. He snarls at the man, "What the hell are you doing here?"

"You must be Jasper."

_What the fuck..._

The man turns around and Jasper feels his heart drop into his stomach at the sight of the man's red eyes. Vampire.

_Fuck fuck fuck..._

Bella's at work, won't be off for another twenty minutes, there's no way he can defend himself from a vampire, unless he can get his hands on a fire. As he's about to glance around for his lighter, he gets a good look at the man's face and frowns - dark hair, dark eyebrows, dark mustache across his upper lip.

His face though, it so similar to...

"I'm Charlie, Bella's father."

* * *

**AN: Thanks for reading.**


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